The Business of Church

If the title of this post didn't make you cringe, read on.

If it made you cringe a bit, you can probably stop reading now. We likely already feel the same way.

In my recent post, I lamented about "the Mission" of the church.

In that post I was primarily concerned with the focus many churches seem to have of growing their membership.

Let's also think a minute about the role of a church "service."

Why do we meet for "worship services?"

It is this focus that causes "church splits" and why those outside organized religion often shake their heads.  Churches spend time tweaking, debating, and lamenting changes to make "the best worship experience."

I would ask that church organizations pause and ask,

"What is the purpose of a church worship service?"

If your purpose is to entertain or "invite everyone to experience God,"

then, by all means, keep tweaking and debating. 

If your goal is to create a weekly experience during which congregants will experience tingles and warm-fuzziness, then you will need to continually tweak and change your Jesus-show. You will need to select music that can manipulate and hypnotize, preferably with lots of repetition. If you get to a place in which the tingles begin to fade, add imagery, more repetition, and new "music." (Read new "music" to mean slightly different lyrics set to the same 4 chords and slightly different rhythm patterns.)  If you get desperate, add smoke-machines, lighting effects, and choreography.

I know, some of you may be thinking I'm being a bit snarky, but after years of participating in and observing this kind of attempted manipulation, I can only see it as that - manipulation of emotions.

It's an attempt to experience a new and exciting event each time you gather.

It's an attempt to create Christmas morning once a week.

It gets tiring and silly.

It works for some who really LOVE to perform. If you have church members who always wanted to be part of a touring pop or rock band, then you may be set for about 5-10 years before they burn out.

It reminds me of the Biblical story of "Transfiguration" when Jesus' disciples saw Jesus with Moses and Elijah. They wanted to build mini-temples on the spot to stay there and relive the event forever. I always imagine Jesus just shaking his head and saying something like, "You take ONE conference call..."  The purpose of that one event was that one event. The purpose was not to turn it into a regular gathering to recreate you make happen every time you meet.  It *might* happen again, but it's not the intent to MAKE it happen.

If your purpose is to create a sense of community and support,

then you do not need a regularly scheduled performance event.

If your purpose is to engage in teaching and sharing,

then you do not need a regularly scheduled performance event.

If your purpose is to plan for community engagement and involvement,

then you do not need a regularly scheduled performance event.

If your purpose is to draw in more participants/members/investors,

then you are a business, not a church.